The season opens in Illinois on Sept. 1. That was always one of my favorite days of the year. This year, not so much. I'll be using my late son's 20 gauge Beretta 391. I gave him that gun for Christmas when he was about 12. He was 27 when he left us earlier this year and I miss him every single day. Hunting, shooting and lots of other things just aren't the same without him.

Nothing the government gives you is free.